League to Investigate Patrick's Post-Race Clash

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indy Racing League will look into a confrontation between Danica Patrick (search) and Jaques Lazier that took place after the drivers bumped and wrecked during the season-ending race at California Speedway.

The two rode in the same ambulance to the track medical center after they collided and crashed while battling for eighth place late in Sunday's race. Patrick came away with a sore elbow and Lazier was not hurt, but both blamed the other for the wreck.

Patrick, the IRL (search)'s only woman and the series rookie of the year, denied media reports that she punched Lazier, a veteran.

Brent Maurer, a spokesman for Patrick's Rahal Letterman Racing team, said the driver told him she tapped Lazier on the forehead with two fingers and said, "You've got to use this."

Lazier told the Indianapolis Star (search) for a story in Monday editions that he didn't want to go into detail about their quarrel, but said, "Look, we had a difference of opinion about what happened, and we were both emotional. If she said she hit me on the temple with her fingers, that's fine. It doesn't matter. My son hits harder than she does."

Lazier's son is 4 years old.

IRL spokesman John Griffin told The Associated Press that the sanctioning organization will investigate.

"There are two sides to every story," he said. "We'll look into it and try to get to the bottom of what happened."